


Practical Holiday Prep

by YourLocalPriestess



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/F, Fluff, Holidays, Kissinggggg, and some HEAT?, everything is Good and Fine, i'm in hell in another fandom so I created some joy here, it's been so long since I published how tag???????, set post-me3, yall want some FLUFF?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-28 10:47:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17181515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YourLocalPriestess/pseuds/YourLocalPriestess
Summary: Shepard isn't really into the idea of a holiday party. Liara DEFINITELY is.





	Practical Holiday Prep

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Joking611](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joking611/gifts).



> Written for the MEFFW Fic Exchange! And for my suffering heart!

Shepard adjusted her top – red and shimmery and low-cut and _too damn tight_ – attempting to tuck it back into her long black skirt. Why all the fuss for an ancient Earth holiday, she would never understand, but when Liara found the invite to her mother’s annual _Christmas Extravaganza_ , there was no ignoring it. Instead, Liara had latched onto the idea, going so far as to drag them both through Citadel shops in search of holiday party attire. Shepard’s outfit in question, the aforementioned top paired with a long velvet black skirt that had a split up one leg, along with horrific silver heels, was a beast entirely of Liara’s creation.

_"I look ridiculous.”_

_"Nonsense. You look radiant.”_

Shepard felt her cheeks warm at the memory of Liara looking over her shoulder in the shop, her eyes sparkling with that unnamable feeling; something beyond love or adoration or any of that mushy shit. It had always been something far more timeless with her. Shepard had only just begun to smile at the memory when once again the shirt slipped out of her grip and, by proxy, out of the skirt, making her grimace at her reflection and curse ancient goddesses under her breath.

She began to fight with the fabric in earnest when she felt two hands land on hers, stilling their motions and gently moving them aside. Shepard let her hands fall limp at her sides and kept her eyes on the floor as Liara fixed the top, enjoying the feeling of her partner’s hands tracing against the small of her back; creating a whole new kind of warmth.

She hadn’t realized she’d closed her eyes, or that she was smiling, until she felt a gentle touch at her arm, calling her back to the present. Turning, she had to fight a gasp as she took Liara in. The asari had chosen a luminescent silver dress that was held up at the neck and covered her chest fully, but left her shoulders and arms exposed, then cut off just above her knees. Shepard hadn’t been allowed to see it beforehand, and now she could understand why. The effect of the silver against the asari’s blue skin gave her a _glow_ , a kind of magical aura that left Shepard speechless in awe.

“Fuck,” she mumbled, when her words finally decided to work. She took Liara’s hands in hers and grinned as she let her eyes roam over her once more. “You look…incredible. I can’t even describe it. Just – perfect.”

A flush crept up Liara’s cheeks, giving them the lavender color that Shepard adored. “Thank you. You look gorgeous.” Liara lifted a hand to tuck Shepard’s hair, which was, for once, out of its usual bun in favor of being curled and styled to one side, behind Shepard’s ear. After she did, the asari let her hand linger on the commander’s cheek.

“So sentimental,” Shepard teased with a playful roll of her eyes.

“So what?” Liara arched her brow, her fingers moving to the back of Shepard’s neck and stepping closer.

“So, it’s adorable.” Shepard leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You’re weaponizing it. Convincing me to wear _heels_ , of all things.”

Liara laughed; a soft, warm sound that settled right into Shepard’s chest and made a home there. She smirked moved one of the fingers on the back of Shepard’s neck in deliberate circles. “You were not too challenging about it.”

“Mmm,” Shepard mumbled, closing her eyes for moment to bask in the small touch, then opening her eyes to stare down the asari and pull her as close as possible. “Again. _Weaponizing_. You know too much. You know all my weaknesses.” Shepard ran her hand along the asari’s exposed spine, enjoying the small shivers and shifts it brought out of her.

Liara, to her credit, tried to keep a straight face. “One could say the same about you, Blaire.”

Hearing Liara say her name so casually would never cease to feel almost as intimate as their melds. Shepard nearly forgot it most days. There were too few people left who had the right to it.

“That leaves us no choice.” Shepard pressed her forehead to Liara’s and held her gaze as she slowly walked her backward, until she was against a wall. “One of us has to take the other out.”

“Is that so?” Liara still kept her face relaxed, but Shepard could hear the undertones of teasing in her voice.

“Mhm.” Shepard trailed kisses along the asari’s jaw, down her neck, across her shoulder, digging her nails into her waist as she did. “It’s just the way of things.”

Liara arched into the touch, the fingers that had been on her neck now twisting in Shepard’s hair as her other hand curled around her waist. “Who am I to break tradition?”

Liara’s voice was a rasp of _want_ , and that was enough to drive the last tendrils of play from Shepard’s mind. She brought her lips up to crash against Liara’s, both of them quickly and easily falling into their familiar dance. When Liara granted her entrance, Shepard moaned when their tongues touched – she would never tire of all the ways the asari _tasted_. It was sweet and warm and _home_ , all at once; intoxicating and overpowering. Her true weakness.

Before long Shepard was pulling at the hem of Liara’s dress, sliding her hands along her thighs toward her apex. Liara moaned into her mouth and bucked into the empty air. _Anticipation_. It made Shepard smile through their kiss and dig her nails into Liara’s thighs, her hands just short of where Liara wanted them.

But Liara was never one to mewl or beg. That was half the fun. Liara made her _work_ for it, for every sound. And when Shepard didn’t provide the friction she was vying for, she felt Liara’s hands bunching up Shepard’s skirt until her fingers met skin.

 _Uh oh_.

Liara broke their kiss with a laugh, placing her head on Shepard’s shoulder as giggles rocked through her body. Shepard threw her head back and laughed too, knowing all too well what had completely killed the moment.

When Liara leaned back away from her against the wall, she was smirking and holding a carnifex that had been holstered to Shepard’s concealed thigh only moments ago. “I suppose you are just happy to see me?”

Shepard laughed, pressing her tongue between her teeth with her smile. “You’re getting too good at human idioms.”

“I learned from the best.” She inspected the gun at a glance and then turned her gaze back to Shepard. “Is this really necessary? At a holiday party?”

“Bold words for someone who’s never been to a holiday party,” Shepard teased, taking the gun back and reattaching it to the holster on her thigh. “You never know what might happen.”

Liara rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling. “You always have to be so cynical.”

Shepard pulled her closer. “I prefer _practical_.” She kissed her; soft, simple, and slow. “It never hurts, and we’ll still have fun.”

“Oh, so now you expect fun?” Liara entwined their fingers in both hands.

Shepard pressed her forehead to hers and closed her eyes, allowing the touch of her lover and the warmth in her chest to fill her senses before looking at the asari again. “Everything’s fun with you. Always.” She kissed her again, unable to resist, but brief this time. “Now. Let’s get going. We’re going to be late.”

Liara didn’t respond to the beat of sincerity that had gone past playfulness, but the way she squeezed Shepard’s hand as she led them to the elevator told Shepard she felt exactly the same.

**Author's Note:**

> Anndd, that's all folx. Thank you so much for reading. I hope the holidays were tolerable for you, or hell, maybe even GOOD. Either way, I want you to know I appreciate you and you're great and I'm glad you're here.
> 
> Any comments/kudos/what-have-yous are appreciated <3


End file.
